by Katie Reus
Sworn to Protect
Red Stone Security Series
Katie Reus
Sworn to Protect
Copyright © 2015 Katie Reus
Cover Art by Sweet ‘N Spicy Designs
Copy editor JRT Editing
Digital Formatting by Author E.M.S.
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.
Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book. This purchase allows you one legal copy for your own personal reading enjoyment on your personal computer or device. You do not have the right to resell, distribute, print or transfer this book, in whole or in part, to anyone, in any format, via methods either currently known or yet to be invented, or upload this book to a file sharing program. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
ISBN: 9781942447078
Dedication
For Kari Walker. Thank you for all your insight since the beginning of this series and for being a true friend.
Prologue
Quinn Brody scrubbed a hand over his face as he exited the empty squad room. He’d transferred to a new shift within the Miami PD less than a month ago and wasn’t sure he’d fit with his new team. The guys were nice enough but something was off about their team leader. Nothing he could put his finger on, but Quinn had never ignored his gut.
Hoisting his duffel bag onto his shoulder, he headed down the quiet hallway toward the private exit. This part of the building was practically deserted this time of day. At least this way he wouldn’t have to see any civilians or deal with any bullshit on his way out. He could head straight home, crack open a cold beer, watch whatever game was on, then crash. Heaven.
At a soft squeaking sound, he turned and saw Suzanne White, his team leader’s wife, stepping around the corner. Her blonde hair was down in soft waves around her face. He’d only talked to her a handful of times and she was always so skittish. Maybe that was the reason he had a problem with his team leader. In his experience cops’ wives didn’t tend to be so damn jumpy all the time. He couldn’t help but wonder what the reason behind that was. Especially since she was wearing sunglasses inside.
Quinn lifted a hand in greeting as he turned back around. “Hey, you looking for Glenn?”
She nodded and started to backtrack, taking two steps away from him. “Yes, but I’ll find him.” The words came out in a rush and he could hear the worry in her voice.
What the hell? He was a big enough guy, but Glenn was bigger, broader, so Quinn didn’t think it was his size. Quinn’s instinct propelled him forward, his gut telling him to talk to Suzanne. His legs ate up the distance of the hallway in seconds. “He’s in one of the gyms, I’ll walk with you.”
She shook her head forcefully. “No, it’s fine. I know where the gyms are.” She took another step away from him. It was subtle, but hard to miss when her body language was screaming she didn’t want to be near him.
When she shifted her purse against her side and winced ever so slightly, alarm bells went off in his head. Maybe he was overreacting, but…he was going to go with his instinct. “Your eyes bothering you?”
She glanced over her shoulder toward a set of elevators and a door that marked the emergency staircase. All the desks in the bullpen were empty since everyone was gone. It wasn’t like that anywhere else in the rest of the building, but his team was on call the next four days and didn’t have to be at the station so it was like a ghost town down here.
“I’m okay,” she whispered, a tremble lacing her voice as she turned back to him. “I just…you don’t need to come with me.” The hint of desperation in her voice punched him right in the gut.
She was afraid. Of him? Maybe. But Quinn didn’t think so. He let his bag drop and leaned against the nearest desk, shoving his hands in his pockets so he looked smaller or hopefully less threatening. “What’s going on? Is someone…hurting you?” Because those damn glasses made no sense. Combined with everything else, yeah, something was off here. Unfortunately he had a sick feeling he knew exactly what it was.
She swallowed hard, then to his surprise let out a bitter laugh as she took another step back in the direction of the elevators. “Don’t bother. I know how things work around here, how you all stick together. Do me a favor and don’t talk to me again. Don’t even look at me.” Before he’d pushed up from his perch she was moving away from him at a fast clip, her sandals snapping against the tile floor.
He shoved up and beat her to the elevator, covering the nearest call button with his hand. “I’ll do that if you really want. But I don’t think you do… When I was about thirteen my aunt came to live with my family. She’d been in an abusive relationship and at the risk of blowing this out of proportion, so are you.”
When she didn’t answer, just stood there staring up at him with those sunglasses so all he could see was his own reflection, he continued. “If you need help, we’ll head out one of the side doors and I’ll take you somewhere safe.” He was dead serious. The thought of any woman being beaten on made him feel sick.
She snorted and he was glad for the bit of attitude.
“I’m serious,” he continued. “It’s safe. I’m not even allowed past the gate because of my gender but I know the woman who runs the place. She can help you. We both will.”
Her shoulders drooped and even though he couldn’t see her eyes Quinn could imagine the hope draining out of them. “He’ll find me,” she whispered, dejection in every line of her slight frame.
“Not there he won’t. I only know about it because I helped two women escape their abusers about a year ago and the owner approached me.” After vetting him, Quinn later learned. His words were quiet but maybe Suzanne sensed the truth in his statement. Or saw it on his face. Whatever it was, he knew the instant she decided to take a chance.
She stepped closer to him now, pushing her sunglasses up on her head to reveal two black eyes. One was darker than the other, as if it was an older bruise. He contained his wince but he couldn’t contain the surge of rage inside him. What. The. Hell.
“Normally he avoids my face but he’s been getting more violent the past couple weeks. I…don’t why. He thinks I’m cheating on him with pretty much any man that looks at me.” She sighed, the sound so miserable and ragged it sliced at Quinn.
He remained silent, swallowing back his rage as he let her talk. He didn’t want her to sense his anger and think it was directed at her.
“I just want to go to sleep at night and not worry that I’ll wake up by being slapped or punched. I just…” Her voice cracked as tears streamed down her face. But she didn’t break his gaze. “I just want to be free to live my life without fear.”
Throat tight, Quinn nodded. He didn’t touch her, just motioned that she could come with him. “You’ll have to leave right now, with just the clothes on your back. We’ll get your things later.” He’d deal with that fucker Glenn later too. Quinn was going to report him no matter what. Just because Glenn wore a uniform didn’t make him above the law. If anything, he had more of a duty to respect it.
“Okay.” She nodded and placed a hand almost protectively against her flat belly.
It was a move Quinn had seen numerous times from pregnant women. In that moment a sense of new urgency spilled through him. He needed to get he
r to safety fast. They were silent as they hurried across the bullpen to the adjoining hallway. He wondered why Suzanne was accepting his help when he was virtually a stranger, but he figured the pregnancy, if she was indeed pregnant, had something to do with it. She’d have to be desperate now. Quinn planned to make sure her husband never hurt her again.
When they reached the exit door at the end of it, Suzanne placed a gentle hand on his forearm, the touch so light he barely felt her fingers skimming his skin. Her blackened eyes were full of shadows no woman should ever have to endure. “He’ll kill you if he finds out you helped me.”
Quinn held back the rage inside him, not wanting Suzanne to see it. She needed to feel safe right now. And if Glenn tried anything, Quinn would take pleasure in pummeling him. Let that bastard see what it was like. Beating on a woman half his size was weak, pathetic. Coming at Quinn wouldn’t be so easy.
Chapter 1
Six years later
“I’m telling you, the only guy I’ve dated since moving back to Miami freaked when he realized I was a virgin. From his reaction you’d have thought I said I wanted to set his dick on fire.” Athena ran her finger up the stem of her wine glass, unable to hide a grin as her cousin Belle practically snorted out her champagne. It was hard to get Quinn out of her head, even two months later.
“Set his dick on fire, I like that.” Belle shook her head and picked up her own glass as Grant, her husband of about a year, walked into the kitchen.
“Hope you’re not talking about me,” he murmured, moving straight for his wife like a heat-seeking missile.
If Athena didn’t love her cousin so much she might be a little sickened by their constant displays of affection. Okay, not sickened, more like a teeny bit envious.
“You know I’d never hurt that part of you,” Belle murmured, nuzzling Grant’s chest.
“All right, enough of that while I’m in the room.” Athena’s voice was light as she took another sip of the bubbly cocktail. It felt good to hang with her cousin and relax. After two years of pretty much straight traveling for work, she was thrilled to be living back in Miami and surrounded by her huge, insane family. Especially Belle. She always felt like the two of them were the only somewhat-normal ones of the Manikas clan. Mostly. Belle was only a couple years older and they’d always clicked.
Grant just wrapped his arm around Belle’s shoulders and leaned against her as he turned his focus on Athena. She and Belle had been sitting at the island in Belle’s kitchen, chatting and drinking while waiting for everyone to arrive.
“So, whose man parts are you setting on fire?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow.
Almost two years ago, before he’d met and married Belle, Grant had been in an explosion that had left him scarred. Faded red marks covered the left side of his face and neck and from Belle, Athena knew he had more on his left arm and back. It certainly didn’t take away from the raw power the man exuded. Plus he was a fighter—and would do anything for her cousin, something Athena adored about the man. For a moment she felt bad for joking about setting someone on fire but he didn’t seem upset. Still, she needed to remember not to say anything like that in the future. “No one. I was just telling Belle about how I need to lose my virginity.”
Aaaaand, that did it. He froze, his arm dropping from Belle’s shoulders as he took a not very subtle step toward the entryway. “I need to get the door.”
She picked up her tulip-shaped glass, fighting a grin. “I didn’t hear the doorbell.”
He ignored her and Belle’s snickers, mumbling something under his breath as he hurried out.
“That was so freaking mean,” Belle said through laughter.
“I know.” Athena didn’t bother to hide her own laughter now. “Your husband looks like a linebacker but the word virgin scares him? Seriously, what’s wrong with men? I just want to get to the good stuff and have non self-induced orgasms. But I can’t seem to get that first time out of the way.” She had a vibrator, but an orgasm from a toy wasn’t as satisfying as she knew it could be. In addition to seeing sex everywhere in the media, she had enough big-mouthed female cousins to know that. And while she wasn’t looking for marriage she didn’t want her first time to be with just anyone, someone she’d regret moments afterward. Maybe it was the way she’d been raised, but there it was.
Before Belle could respond, the doorbell actually did ring. There was an array of voices and when her new boss at Red Stone Security, Harrison Caldwell, stepped into the kitchen moments later with his beautiful wife on his arm, Athena slid her champagne glass to the side. She thought she’d been subtle but when he laughed she realized she hadn’t been at all.
“You’re not on the clock and I’m not here to work. But I am looking forward to your presentation on Monday.” He shot her a quick grin before kissing Belle on the cheek and heading for the back door. Athena knew where he was going, too.
And if the expression on Mara’s face was any indication, she knew what he was doing as well. “Men and their toys,” she murmured, smiling at Athena as she followed her husband.
Grant, who was also Harrison’s younger brother, had just gotten a new addition to his already ridiculously large grill that was apparently drool-worthy. Or something to that effect. Athena didn’t really know or care. She was just as bad at cooking as Belle—much to her mother’s continuing disappointment—and a grill was a scary thing.
“Is there anything you want me to do?” Athena asked Belle as she slid off her chair. They’d had the party catered—though Belle wasn’t telling anyone but Athena that—so all the food and drinks were arranged artfully in the kitchen and on the lanai. And there was a full self-serve bar set up by the pool.
“Yes, enjoy yourself,” she said as Lizzy and a slew of other people spilled into the kitchen.
As Belle started greeting guests, tall and gorgeous Lizzy, who also worked for Red Stone, hooked her arm through Athena’s and dragged her toward the back door. “I know there’s a bar out there and I’m kid free and done breastfeeding. I need a good drink.”
“I’ll make you something fun,” she said, allowing herself to be propelled outside, laughing at her friend’s enthusiasm. “Where’s Porter?”
“With Grant, looking at a new gun.” Lizzy shook her head as she spoke.
That was a little weird to Athena, but she knew the Caldwell brothers and pretty much anyone who worked for Red Stone Security owned more than one weapon. Most of the men and women in the security department anyway. They were all former military and it was like a thing with them. And they really liked to compare weapons.
She’d recently been hired as an event planner of sorts at Red Stone and her first official day was Monday—though she’d technically been working from home for the past three weeks to get ready for her first day. She was helping out with an event in Vegas in a little over a week and had needed to communicate with various companies out there. Coming into the office hadn’t been necessary and she’d liked the freedom to make her own schedule these past weeks.
“Are you nervous about Monday?” Lizzy asked as they rounded the pool. It was filled with multicolored floating candles.
“A little bit. Not about the job, but the presentation itself I guess.” For the last two years she’d done contract work as an event coordinator all over the world. Not local wedding type stuff, but big things—tradeshows and festivals. She taken her first job the week after she’d graduated college and because of her willingness to travel—and a lot of freaking hard work—she’d landed a lot of contract jobs. Some better than others. She’d majored in hospitality and minored in public relations, both of which had been an asset to her career.
In the beginning she’d had assistant positions but for the last year she’d taken on bigger projects solo. She shot Lizzy a look when she didn’t say anything. Athena could read into the silence. “Okay, I’m nervous about the job too.”
“You’re going to do great,” Lizzy said as they reached the mini Tiki bar. The air was cool in
the high fifties and the scent of various meats on the grill filled the air. Even though they’d had the party catered, apparently Grant had insisted on grilling some things himself. “I wouldn’t have recommended you apply for it otherwise.”
Athena ducked behind the bar and grinned at the array of bottles and other garnishes. She’d been friends with Lizzy the past couple months and knew her friend’s tastes by now. As she started mixing up their drinks she said, “If I fail, hopefully they won’t blame you.”
Lizzy just snorted but eyed the drink mix curiously. “Purple?”
“Just wait. You’ll like it.” She rolled the rims of the martini glasses in sugar as she spoke.
“Where’d you learn to do this?”
“I bartended a little in college and there were a few occasions on the job where I had to assist because staff called out sick for an event.” There’d been a huge festival in Madrid she’d helped out with a year ago where three of the staff had gotten food poisoning, so in addition to everything else she’d been in charge of, she’d had to help with drinks on and off. That had been such a chaotic, ridiculous job.
“At least you’ll have something to fall back on if you do fail,” Lizzy teased.
“I seriously hope not.” She set the two glasses on the bar and strained the purple concoction into them. With the twinkle lights strung up around the lanai and the ones glittering in the pool, the sugar seemed to sparkle around the rim. “This is called a wildcat.”
“You have to make me one of those too!” The unfamiliar female voice made Athena look up.
Her eyes widened as her gaze locked with Quinn freaking Brody, the too-sexy-man with an aversion to virgins. He was with the tall woman who’d just asked Athena to make a drink. But she had eyes only for Quinn. Her heart about jumped out of her chest. What was he doing here of all places? At least he looked just as surprised to see her.
